Unity
by corneroffandom
Summary: A missing scene from Shrine... something that's kinda bugged me since I rewatched the episode for the third time last night. Keller said they put McKay in stasis... how I imagine it happened.


"It's the only thing we haven't tried," Keller says to Woolsey, the anxiety and sleepless nights obvious in the slight tremble betraying her words. "I at least want to try it, just for awhile... It helped slow Dr. Beckett's condition until we could find a cure... it may do the same for Rodney."

"And if it doesn't?" the commander asks, eyes locked on McKay as he sits patiently in the infirmary, a vacant look on his face as he taps his lips.

"We're no better off than we were without trying it," she says softly. "There's at least a chance if we--"

He nods as she fails to finish her sentence, looking away from Rodney. "Alright... you do know his sister is on her way, right?"

"Yes," she says slowly, eyes flickering to her patient. "If it doesn't work, we'll have him out before she arrives."

"Very well. Do it."

----------

Getting Rodney to the stasis chamber is tricky, as he's clingy and acting so_ young_ that it hurts to watch, but his team is there, and it seems to help as John and Ronon guide him to the room, careful to distract him during passages that may frighten or confuse him. Teyla in in front of him, soothing him when he gets nervous, and they all breathe a sigh of relief when they're finally at the room and the stasis chamber is activated.

"John?" he whimpers, his hands fluttering unhappily at his sides.

"We're right here, buddy. You doing ok?" the Colonel asks soothingly, glancing over at Keller as she checks the chamber once more to make sure it's glitch-free.

"I... I think..." Rodney falls silent as the stasis lights up once more, and murmurs unhappily.

"It's ok," Sheppard mutters, squeezing McKay's shoulder. "Just hang on..."

"It's ready," one of the medical staff says, which Keller nods to confirm.

"Are you ready, Rodney?" Teyla asks soothingly, taking his hands in hers.

"I... I... for what?" he whispers, eyes large and almost unfocused as he peers around.

"You are going to go to sleep for awhile," she says gently, and it hits John again how motherly she acts while around Rodney now. "We will be here when you awaken."

"You promise?" His eyes search John's, then Ronon's, before resting back on hers.

"Of course, Rodney, where else would we be?" she asks, squeezing his hands gently.

"I, I don't know." He looks frustrated and scared, and Sheppard looks away for a moment.

"Come," Teyla whispers, taking him by the arm and carefully leading him to the stasis chamber.

He stops at the edge of the chamber and shakes his head, uncertainly. "John?"

Sheppard quickly joins them, resting a hand on McKay's bicep. "Right here, pal. It'll be ok. You trust us, right?"

"I... yeah," he breathes, despite the confusion in his eyes. "Yeah."

"We'll be here when you wake up," John says, forcing a smile as he encourages Rodney to take another step.

"All of you?"

"All of us," Ronon speaks up for the first time since entering this room, stepping up behind John. This room reminds him too much of Carson, and Elizabeth, and Sateda; it marks leaving people behind, and death... "You'll see."

Rodney nods uncertainly, and follows Teyla as she guides him into the chamber. "Rest well," she whispers, carefully touching her forehead to his, not wanting to scare him with the Athosian tradition, but he seems to remember it, and holds still reverently until she moves away.

-------

It's obvious early on it does not work-- the parasite is still expanding, the suspended animation has no effect on it. His team is surrounding the chamber as they release him early the next day, and Ronon eases him onto a waiting stretcher. Teyla steps up close and rests a hand on his forehead, gently massaging as he breathes rapidly, the vacantness in his gaze more pronounced. John stands by his head, a hand on his shoulder. Ronon takes the side opposite of Teyla, almost afraid to touch him.

The first words he speaks are soft and tentative, "You're here..."

"As we said we would be, Rodney," she says quietly, smiling down at him.

"Thank you..."


End file.
